Going from a voltage to a resistance

Thread Starter

oak

Joined May 6, 2013
4
I have a sender unit that outputs 0-5v. (0 for empty to 5v for full) I need to build a circuit or use some device that will convert this range to a 30-212ohm resistance. Is this possible? (Pots. do exactly the opposite)
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
The devils are in the details -- most notably the details you haven't provided.

A FET can be viewed as a voltage-controlled resistance over a portion of its range of operation.
 

cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,218
Digital potentiometer.
Yeap... a digital pot would be the way to go... though you'd first have to convert the signal using an ADC, then have a microcontroller communicate with the digpot to tell it what value to use. Some MCUs out there already have an ADC embedded in them... you'd have to check and see.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
So is that also 30 ohms empty and 212 ohms for full?

What is it that pots do opposite?

A resistor sitting in free space doesn't have much use. Will you actually be connecting this resistance to something?

I strongly suspect a very simple analog circuit will do the conversion you seek, but that requires knowing what the floating resistance will be connected to.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Maybe, maybe not. If this is a sender unit for a tank that he is using to water his geraniums would it be forbidden?
Only if the tank is his radiator. And the radiator is on an automobile. For some reason a generator's radiator seems ok to mods.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,282
It would likely be easier to determine what current the 30-212 ohms resistance corresponds to and convert the 0-5V to that current. I assume this is to drive a tank level analog gauge that normally responds to a resistance value in series with it.
 

Thread Starter

oak

Joined May 6, 2013
4
It would likely be easier to determine what current the 30-212 ohms resistance corresponds to and convert the 0-5V to that current. I assume this is to drive a tank level analog gauge that normally responds to a resistance value in series with it.
Exaxtly. This is a tank level probe on a tractor design I'm working on. I measured the current values at 0 and 5v, but I don't understand how I can go to my analog gauge with this...?
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Exaxtly. This is a tank level probe on a tractor design I'm working on. I measured the current values at 0 and 5v, but I don't understand how I can go to my analog gauge with this...?
I have a sender unit that outputs 0-5v. (0 for empty to 5v for full) I need to build a circuit or use some device that will convert this range to a 30-212ohm resistance. Is this possible? (Pots. do exactly the opposite)
The way you are looking at this is a bit upside-down. Can you start over and explain that you have a sender unit. It puts out zero to 5 volts. I understand that. What I don't understand is, why don't you just measure the 0 to 5 volts with something like, say, a volt meter? No current needs to flow (unless you have an open collector output).

On the other hand, you can put a fixed resister in the circuit and add an ammeter in series and measure current.

What I don't understand with your desire for a 30-212 ohm resistance, how do you expect to measure resistance, especially when an unknown voltage from 0 to 5 volts is present on the circuit?
 

Alec_t

Joined Sep 17, 2013
14,280
Here's the basis of how you could do it the good old analogue way:-
SenderSim.gif
The vertical axis volts simulate the synthesised resistance Ohms as seen by the gauge. The horizontal axis represents the sender signal. Trim1 sets the 30Ω limit and Trim2 sets the 212Ω limit. Resistor values may need to be tweaked, depending on the gauge internal resistance.
B1 in the sim divides the FET drain voltage by drain current, merely for displaying the synthesised resistance.
Opamp and NFET type are not critical.
 

Thread Starter

oak

Joined May 6, 2013
4
Here's the basis of how you could do it the good old analogue way:-
View attachment 76652
The vertical axis volts simulate the synthesised resistance Ohms as seen by the gauge. The horizontal axis represents the sender signal. Trim1 sets the 30Ω limit and Trim2 sets the 212Ω limit. Resistor values may need to be tweaked, depending on the gauge internal resistance.
B1 in the sim divides the FET drain voltage by drain current, merely for displaying the synthesised resistance.
Opamp and NFET type are not critical.
Can the 9V supply be upgraded to something like 13V, similar to the gauge voltage supply, with some minor changes?
 

Alec_t

Joined Sep 17, 2013
14,280
Can the 9V supply be upgraded to something like 13V, similar to the gauge voltage supply, with some minor changes?
Not with minor changes. But why would you want to? The circuit needs a stable voltage, which the 13V supply is presumed not to be. A 7809, as represented by the 9V source in the sim, can provide the stable voltage from a varying 12V or greater supply.
 

Thread Starter

oak

Joined May 6, 2013
4
Not with minor changes. But why would you want to? The circuit needs a stable voltage, which the 13V supply is presumed not to be. A 7809, as represented by the 9V source in the sim, can provide the stable voltage from a varying 12V or greater supply.
Its just lack of experience and now I understand this. Overall, I like the design a lot. If I had these components on hand, then I would have tried to build it. At this point, I'm either going to get rid of the gauge and build a level gauge using a led driver lm3914 that displays a level from 0-5v or build and test your circuit design. The response curve also helps and should work pretty well in my application. Thanks for the post and circuit design, Ill try to follow up as things progress.
 

Alec_t

Joined Sep 17, 2013
14,280
Good luck with whichever option you go for.
If it helps with component sourcing, you could replace the FET with any NPN transistor able to handle at least 200mA or so.
 
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